Provided is a method of stably producing a water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether powder having a high bulk density at low cost by adding a minimum amount of water. More specifically provided is a method for producing a water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether powder, comprising the steps of: reacting alkali cellulose with an etherifying agent to obtain a reaction product; washing and draining the reaction product to obtain a water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether; mixing the water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether with such an amount of water of 70° C. or higher as to make a water content of the water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether become 55 to 90% by weight to obtain a water-containing water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether having a water content of 55 to 90% by weight; cooling the water-containing water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether; and drying and pulverizing the cooled water-containing water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether.

Provided is a method of stably producing a water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether powder having a high bulk density at low cost by adding a minimum amount of water. More specifically provided is a method for producing a water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether powder, comprising the steps of: reacting alkali cellulose with an etherifying agent to obtain a reaction product; washing and draining the reaction product to obtain a water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether; mixing the water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether with such an amount of water of 70° C. or higher as to make a water content of the water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether become 55 to 90% by weight to obtain a water-containing water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether having a water content of 55 to 90% by weight; cooling the water-containing water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether; and drying and pulverizing the cooled water-containing water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether.

Disclosed herein is a polymer composition comprising an effective amount of a hydrophobically-modified polymer having functional groups along the backbone occupied by a fatty anhydride moiety. The polymer composition has a potent hemostatic action by gelling blood upon contact, and is suitable for treating internal and external bleeds. As disclosed herein, the modified polymer can be generated without the use of toxic reagents that would require removal from the product. Further, compositions are shelf stable even in a flowable form. That is, the hydrophobic grafts are not lost under product storage conditions (e.g., room temperature storage).

A methyl ethyl hydroxyalkyl cellulose (MEHEC), process for making the MEHEC, and a powder containing the MEHEC are disclosed. The MEHEC is provided with a DSmethyl from 1.5 to 2.5, a DSethyl from 0.005 to 0.15, and a MSalkylene-oxide from 0.005 to 0.2. The methyl ethyl hydroxyalkyl cellulose optionally includes an anti-oxidant. The MEHEC optionally does not have a combination of a DSmethyl of 2.2 or 1.8, a DSethyl of 0.05 or 0.1, and a MSalkylene-oxide of 0.1 and does not have a combination of a DSmethyl of 2.5 or 2.0, a DSethyl of 0.1, and a MSalkylene-oxide of 0.05. The MEHEC has very good biostability and is suitable for use in the building industry.

A methyl ethyl hydroxyalkyl cellulose (MEHEC), process for making the MEHEC, and a powder containing the MEHEC are disclosed. The MEHEC is provided with a DSmethyl from 1.5 to 2.5, a DSethyl from 0.005 to 0.15, and a MSalkylene-oxide from 0.005 to 0.2. The methyl ethyl hydroxyalkyl cellulose optionally includes an anti-oxidant. The MEHEC optionally does not have a combination of a DSmethyl of 2.2 or 1.8, a DSethyl of 0.05 or 0.1, and a MSalkylene-oxide of 0.1 and does not have a combination of a DSmethyl of 2.5 or 2.0, a DSethyl of 0.1, and a MSalkylene-oxide of 0.05. The MEHEC has very good biostability and is suitable for use in the building industry.

The HIGH ALPHA AND HIGH INTRINSIC VISCOSITY PULP PRODUCTION APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (hereinafter “HIGH-A HIGH-IV PULP PRODUCTION”) disclosed herein provide for pulp processing used in connection with Kraft Processes (KP) or Pre Hydrolysis Kraft Processes (PHKP), embodiments employing a Cold Caustic Extraction (CCE) stage and/or appropriate washing and bleaching stages, resulting in pulp with high Intrinsic Viscosity (IV) and high purity, such as may be as determined by alpha cellulose content, and adequate brightness for use downstream in applications such as high tensile regenerated cellulose and ether applications, or other applications employing high IV pulp with significant purity (e.g., alpha cellulose>92%).

The HIGH ALPHA AND HIGH INTRINSIC VISCOSITY PULP PRODUCTION APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (hereinafter “HIGH-A HIGH-IV PULP PRODUCTION”) disclosed herein provide for pulp processing used in connection with Kraft Processes (KP) or Pre Hydrolysis Kraft Processes (PHKP), embodiments employing a Cold Caustic Extraction (CCE) stage and/or appropriate washing and bleaching stages, resulting in pulp with high Intrinsic Viscosity (IV) and high purity, such as may be as determined by alpha cellulose content, and adequate brightness for use downstream in applications such as high tensile regenerated cellulose and ether applications, or other applications employing high IV pulp with significant purity (e.g., alpha cellulose>92%).

A rubber composition containing a rubber and modified cellulose fibers, wherein one or more substituents selected from substituents represented by the following general formulas (1) and (2): —CH.sub.2—CH(OH)—R.sub.1 (1), —CH.sub.2—CH(OH)—CH.sub.2—(OA).sub.n—O—R.sub.1 (2), wherein each R.sub.1 in the general formulas (1) and (2) is independently a linear or branched alkyl group having 3 or more carbon atoms and 30 or less carbon atoms; n in the general formula (2) is a number of 0 or more and 50 or less; and A is a linear or branched, divalent saturated hydrocarbon group having 1 or more carbon atoms and 6 or less carbon atoms are bonded to cellulose fibers via an ether bond, wherein the modified cellulose fibers have a cellulose I crystal structure. The rubber composition of the present invention can be suitably used for machine tool parts, household electric appliance parts, automobile parts, and the like.

A rubber composition containing a rubber and modified cellulose fibers, wherein one or more substituents selected from substituents represented by the following general formulas (1) and (2): —CH.sub.2—CH(OH)—R.sub.1 (1), —CH.sub.2—CH(OH)—CH.sub.2—(OA).sub.n—O—R.sub.1 (2), wherein each R.sub.1 in the general formulas (1) and (2) is independently a linear or branched alkyl group having 3 or more carbon atoms and 30 or less carbon atoms; n in the general formula (2) is a number of 0 or more and 50 or less; and A is a linear or branched, divalent saturated hydrocarbon group having 1 or more carbon atoms and 6 or less carbon atoms are bonded to cellulose fibers via an ether bond, wherein the modified cellulose fibers have a cellulose I crystal structure. The rubber composition of the present invention can be suitably used for machine tool parts, household electric appliance parts, automobile parts, and the like.

Provided is a method for producing hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) having high hydroxypropoxy content, low ash content, and low insoluble fiber content. More specifically, provided is a method for producing HPMC having a methoxy degree of substitution of from 1.4 to 2.2 and a hydroxypropoxy molar substitution of from 0.5 to 1.0, including steps of: bringing sheet-like or chip-like pulp into contact with an alkali metal hydroxide solution to obtain a reaction product mixture containing alkali cellulose, removing a liquid portion from the reaction product mixture to obtain the alkali cellulose, reacting the alkali cellulose with an etherifying agent to obtain a crude HPMC, disintegrating the crude HPMC into a disintegrated crude HPMC, dispersing the disintegrated crude HPMC in water to obtain a slurry, filtering the slurry to obtain a cake, and washing the cake.